AuthorTopic: Young mom needs advice! (Read 795 times)

Hello everyone,I am hoping that someone can give me advice. I plan on attending law school next year. My son will be 4 by then and I am married to his father. I live in a small town in texas and the closest law school is 2 1/2 hours away. I would be taking my son with me while my husband stayed here with his job. Has anyone else done this before? Is this realistic? There is another law school 4 hours away where my sons grandparents live so I would have help with my son but would be double the distance from my husband.. What do y'all recommend? Thank you in advance for your suggestions and advice.

One of my professors back when I was law school said she exactly what your planning to. It was extremely hard, but she did do it. Law school is a very big commitment especially if you have a 2 1/2 hour commute though. Any plans to move closer to the school? I think it CAN be done, but realistically a 2 1/2 hour commute combined with raising a kid could be to much. Plenty of people can go through it with kids, but tacking on a 2 1/2 hour commute especially if that is only one way is really pushing it.

The four hour commute option might be better if the grandparents are there. The odds are you will probably end up spending extended nights wherever you go so the four hour commute option might be better.

I hate to discourage people, but you an extensive commute and raising a young child combined with first year is tough. What schools are you considering by the way I only ask, because I recently coached a mock trial team at South Texas Law School and I have to say I loved the place. I had never heard of it before, but I really loved how everyone treated eachother there.

Well good luck, and anything is possible, but 1L is no joke. The rest of it kind of is, but first year is tough. Good luck to you whatever ends up happening.

I'm sorry I guess I forgot to add that I would be moving to whatever city the school is at. My son would be moving with me and my husband would be staying here. I am looking at st Mary's in San Antonio or university of Houston Thank you for your reply

If it's the only way you can get a law degree, I'd say you don't have many other options. Either do it this way or go without a law degree. That's really the question you need to answer for yourself: is a law degree worth it?

Got it getting rid of the commute makes it much more realistic. FalconJimmy's advice is also spot on moving away from your Husband and taking your kid away from his dad day to day is a big sacrifice to your family and will be stressful. Add to that the large amount of debt you will be taking out, and it will result in a lot less money for the kid turning the formative years. Odds are you will make it up in the very long term, but it will hurt you financially for 5-10 years and your kid will be a teenager by then. These are just a few things to think about.

So you have to ask yourself how bad do you want this law degree, and why do you want it. If it is because it sounds fun then I would strongly discourage you from doing it. If you have always wanted to be a D.A or something law related and you will hate yourself if you don't do it then go for it. Your the only who knows why you want the degree, but just realize it is going to be a big emotional and financial toll on you and your family at least in the short term. In the long-term it could be a wise investment. However, nobody knows the answer to how it will turn out. Whatever you decide good luck!

sollicitus

If you husband is ok with it, then ok. If not......you'd have to pick which you want more and go with that.

If he or you have the child obviously daycare will still be an issue, be prepared for that. If you are on foodstamps or any other govt assistance expect that to get weird if two addresses. Expect a reduction if not an elimination of much of it. (can't claim him if he is not living with you in same house) If different states it could get even worse.